Understanding error bars in charts
Error bars illustrate the margin of error for a survey estimate by showing how precise that estimate is. Here are some answers to common questions that might help you better understand charts with error bars.
A behind-the-scenes blog about research methods at Pew Research Center.
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Error bars illustrate the margin of error for a survey estimate by showing how precise that estimate is. Here are some answers to common questions that might help you better understand charts with error bars.
We’ve compiled some tips for journalists who use polling in their work during election season and beyond.
Our approach to alt text – and overall website accessibility – has evolved in recent years.
Building informative and digestible data visualizations is a foundational aspect of Pew Research Center’s work.
Showing margins of errors in graphics can help prevent readers from thinking that survey estimates are more precise than they really are.
Our Methods 101 videos aim to make survey research accessible to a non-specialist audience. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look.
A common challenge facing researchers is how to make complex subject matter accessible to a general audience.
There are some simple guidelines writers can follow to minimize the risk of readers misunderstanding or misinterpreting survey findings.
All of the material we release goes through a rigorous verification process we call a “number check.”
Researchers and designers at Pew Research Center often create faceted information graphics, commonly known as “small multiples,” to…